Dr Wells is Missing Again (Part 1)
by Pineapple Angel 14
Summary: Based off SMDM episode, "Dr. Wells is Missing". After Steve and Rudy venture to Aspen to go through some operations to stop a disease that is being emitted by his bionics, they run in to their old friends, the Tucellis, who are again out to cause great discomfort to our heroes...will Steve and Rudy make it out alive? Rated highly for possible violence or descriptions of injuries..
1. Leavin' On A Jet Plane

**AN: Hello bionic fans, and other readers…It's your friendly little teenage bionic fan to share with you her first lengthy SMDM-Bionic Woman story! Background, this story is based off of the SMDM episode, Dr. Wells is Missing. Although, if you have not seen the episode, you can still watch, and relatively follow along! Now…first off, I'd like to put out a hearty thanks to all of the members of the Bionic Fans Yahoo Group and those on the Bionic Project, for their continuous support and help in my venture, as well as my fanfic buddy, pineapplegirl123! You guys really help me, and without your support, I wouldn't be writing this now! A little pre info: this story will be written in 2 or 3 parts, the first taking place here on SMDM, then I'll switch over to the Bionic Woman, and the hypothetical 3rd part would either be in the crossover section, or back on SMDM...ENOUGH BABBLING! ON WITH THE STORY! **

**Disclaimer: I own no part of the Six Million Dollar Man, nor The Bionic Woman... **

**Chapter 1: Leavin' On a Jet Plane**

"Boy Steve, do I envy you…" Oscar muttered. He sighed heavily, as he signed the forms on his desk. "And you, too, Rudy! Both of you going up to Aspen for a holiday...nice and calm…no guns going off or bomb threats…just the mountains, the crisp, clean air, and the snow."

"Oh come now, Oscar, you know we aren't going to Colorado on a simple pleasure trip! We are going because Steve is experiencing several odd black-outs in his bionics, and I believe that if I don't get a proper, surgical adjustment in, then it could get serious!" Rudy protested to his superior, while cracking a hidden, winking smile to Steve.

"Well of course I don't want Steve hurt, but why go to the la in Aspen? Why not your lab here in D.C? And why are you going up a week early, and staying for nearly a month afterwards!?" Oscar groaned, angrily.

"Steve needs time to rest and prepare, beforehand, and depending on how extensive the problems are, he may need a great deal of rest and recovery time, after." Rudy turned to look Oscar in the eye.

"And besides, Oscar, you're coming up next week! You won't be missing anything!" Steve walked across the OSI director's office and came to sit on the corner of Goldman's desk.

"Yes but—all right…here's all the necessary arrangements for you…you leave on a plane for Aspen in…5 hours. Your tickets are waiting at the airport. Have a nice trip, gentlemen." Oscar reluctantly handed a packet of papers to Rudy, and the doctor and cyborg turned together to leave. "And Steve!"

Steve stopped in the doorway to see his friend. "Yeah?"

"Take care of yourself, pal." Oscar smiled.

"You got it!" Steve gave a familiar half smile to his supervisor before heading out into the small lobby.

After a few seconds of silent pondering, Oscar became suddenly aware of the shiny blue pen that read "NASA", in his hand. Steve's lucky pen! Oscar had borrowed the pen, when he misplaced his own, and he'd forgotten to give it back to Steve! Oscar felt suddenly guilty. Ever since Steve had gone back to doing regular assignments for NASA he carried the pen with him, for luck, at all times, on or off the planet.

Oscar and Steve had deemed it lucky as once they had been stranded on an island with many wild beasts, and they'd been cornered by some of them. Well as the beasts neared, Steve did everything he could to distract them, but the only thing that caught their attention was the shiny, blue and silver pen. He'd tossed it to them, and while they were fighting over it, the OSI agents made their escape. Later, Steve had wandered back to the site, and found the pen, undamaged in the sand. And ever since, he'd carried it with him.

_I can't let him go to surgery without this! _Oscar thought, so he quickly stood and opened his solid wood door. He paused when he heard Steve talking in a nervous, fast-paced voice to his doctor. Oscar stopped to listen…

"Rudy!? We ARE going to have some fun, right!? I mean not just bed rest for the surgery? We will get to enjoy the things that Oscar was mentioning, right? Ya know…The Mountains, the air, the snow…" Steve frantically looked at his smiling friend.

"Oh Steve, don't be silly! I wonder if they let you take skis on a plane…" Rudy pondered, grinning at his bionic associate.

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Steve smiled broadly and ushered Rudy through the glass door at the opposite side of the entry room.

Oscar stepped from his doorway into view. "Oh, Steve?"

"Oh!? Yeah, Oscar?" Steve stopped.

"I heard that." Oscar stared intently.

"oh…well…yes you did…well don't worry, I'll get plenty of rest too!" Steve nervously tried to dodge Oscar's parental glare.

"Hey Steve!" Oscar's quick phrase forced Steve to turn. "You forgot your lucky pen." He tossed it gingerly, to Steve, who caught it with ease. "Have a nice time, pal."

Steve smiled and turned to go, but looked back. "I'll see you next week….'pal'!" Steve joked, using Oscar's nickname for himself. Steve's charisma and charm in delivering the last line broke down all barriers, and all three men joined in a hearty laugh. Steve smiled, gave a small wink, with the ever-so-slight raise of his left eyebrow, and left, letting the glass door slowly thump to a close, behind him.

**_END OF CHAPTER 1_**


	2. Literally Blinding Pains

**Chapter 2: Literally Blinding Pains**

"Yes. Dr. Wells and Colonel Austin. Here is you're reservation. Cabin 14. The best one we have. Two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, and bathroom. Anything you need you can pick up at the store in cabin 2, over there." The friendly hotel clerk smiled as she handed Steve a ring with two keys on it. "Have a pleasant stay, gentleman, and Colonel Austin? I hope you're feeling better, soon!"

The two gentlemen smiled, thanked the girl, and left, with Steve easily managing all of their luggage with his right hand.

"Steve?" Rudy began as they crunched through the snow. "What do you suppose that 'hope you get better' nonsense was about?"

"Oh…probably good ole Oscar, he probably told them that I would be recovering from surgery so don't let me do anything exciting…or something...here it is…Cabin 14!" Steve tossed the keys to Rudy, who promptly unlocked the door, and they stepped in. The cabin was warm and the lot walls were excellent protection from the elements.

"Steve, you go put down our things, I'm going to wash up and see if I can find something to eat!" Rudy shed his heavy coat and scarf. He walked into the bathroom, and turned on the tap water, in the sink.

As Steve walked back towards a room, he felt a sudden, dull, throbbing pain near his bionic eye. Then, he gasped as the pain grew to an intense, literally blinding level, as Steve soon realized his eye had blacked out. He suddenly began feeling the same sensations in his arm and legs; a dull throb, then a sharp pain, the loss of use with the pain.

Steve staggered in the doorway to the bedroom and sagged against the door frame.

"Rudy!?" Steve moaned weakly. "Rudy!?" He nearly shouted this time as he felt his limbs quiver, and then collapse. His knees buckled and he tumbled forward. He grabbed onto the frame of the wooden bed, but as his arm gave out, he fell downwards, his head smacking against the foot rail, and he slipped into darkness.

**_END OF CHAPTER 2_**


	3. A Frantic Examination

**Chapter 3: A Frantic Examination**

"Steve?" Rudy poked his head out of the bathroom and called to his friend when he heard the shout and sudden crash. "Steve!?" He grew panicked by the utter silence. He turned off the water and wiped his hands on a nearby rag. "Steve? You alright?" Dr. Wells called again, with a hint of fear, lacing his voice. He slowly followed the wet footprints to the bedroom, where he gawped at what he saw.

Steve was laying in the ground, obviously unconscious, with bags cluttered on top of him, and his head awkwardly bent against the bed.

"Steve!" Rudy made quick work of all of the bags and anxiously plunge his fingers into Steve's neck. He was happily confronted with a strong pulse; it was a bit fast, Rudy later thought, but at least it was there. He carefully ran his hand over Steve's left arm and up to his head, checking for anything he may have broken. He stopped when his hand reached the back of Steve's head, where a thin trickle of blood covered his hand in a moist, warm red. Rudy grabbed a small sheet from a nearby shelf and ripped it into strips, which he carefully wrapped around Steve's head. He then carefully tried to wake Steve, to determine how he had collapsed.

"Steve!?" He gently slapped at Steve's face. "Steve!?" His efforts were rewarded with a weak moan from his patient.

"Rudy? Hurts…everywhere…can't …move…" Steve whimpered, still not quite completely conscious.

"Steve? What's the matter? What's wrong/ What happened?" Rudy placed a hand on his right shoulder.

Steve groaned in pain and tried to pull away, but couldn't get his arm to cooperate. This sudden realization caused him to jolt awake. "Rudy! I can't move 'em! My legs! My Arm! I can't even see out of my eye!" Steve frantically tried to lash out, and grab onto something familiar, but as his eye and arm were not functioning he had poor coordination and his left arm fell clumsily to the ground.

"Steve! Steve! I need you to concentrate for me, alright?" Dr. Wells grabbed onto Steve and forced him to calm. "Alright now, this is worse than the previous blackouts, yes? Alright…now…was there a slow dull pain, then weakness, then extreme pain, then uselessness? Can you still feel your bionic parts?" Steve nodded slowly to each question. "Now Steve, I need to test some things, so I'm going to take your bionic hand and place it on my arm, and when I tell you to, I want you to try your hardest to life even one finger and tap my arm, alright?"

Steve nodded, again, and stared intently at his bionic hand, now resting on Rudy's arm. He grunted and grit his teeth together as he fought the pain of the severe blackout. Rudy eyed his friend and the effort Steve was putting in to this "simple" task. Beads of sweat dampened Steve's forehead. He bit his lip so hard, that a slow trickle of blood dripped down to his chin. Slowly, Steve raised hi pointer finger and gently let it down again. He repeated the action several times with each finger as the feeling and movement gradually came back into his hand and the pain slowly subsided. He carefully turned his feet on his ankles and blinked several times.

Rudy smiled when Steve seemed more relaxed. "Everything getting better?"

"Well…all except my eye…it's all pretty blurry…" Steve blinked hard and tried to focus on Rudy's face but was held back by a wave of pain throughout his skull.

Rudy instructed Steve to lean back and be still while he examined his head. "Probably a slight concussion…"

"Rudy?" Steve looked up at his, now standing, friend and physician. "What's wrong with me? Why is this happening!?"

"Phase Two…." Rudy grumbled.

"What? What's 'phase two'?" Steve anxiously wondered.

"Look Steve, I'm not going to lie to you anymore. You are very sick…"

"Is something wrong with my bionics? Am I rejecting them like Jamie? Why didn't you tell me!?" Steve attempted to stand, but after he began to wobble, Rudy eased him onto the bed.

"Yes, something is wrong involving your bionics; in a way, your body is rejecting them; and I didn't tell you because, well…for one thing, I wasn't sure….and I didn't feel the need to concern you, or Oscar about a problem that…well…shouldn't have been a problem, as long as I was getting you up here to the lab.."

"Rudy. You didn't answer my first question: WHAT is PHASE TWO!?" Steve angrily punched the pillow with his left hand.

"Alright Steve, I'll explain everything. You have some sort of disease that is being emitted into your body by your bionics. This "disease", I believe, has 3 main phases, each time increasing in severity. You see, our bionics after a period of time, are releasing some unfamiliar toxins, and these are slowly causing extreme damage to your bionics, and even your whole body. When this toxin spreads, it causes the phases of damage…each time getting much more severe as the content of the toxin in your body increases. Now I can't be entirely sure on anything, Steve, as this only happens cyborgs…and you _ARE_ the first one…but from my theorizing and experiments…

"You've already been through phase 1. In my recollection, during Phase 1, there are minor black-outs of your bionics, lasting a few seconds. And there is also definite weakness leading up t, and following these attacks. A small dull pain sets in, from your bionic parts…Now this _IS _highly unusual, as they are NOT human, the pieces shouldn't be subject to pain….but I guess there are definite qualities and flaws that even I have not figured out…

"Now Phase 2? I believe you are in that now…the blackouts grow more intense; filled with more pain, more weakness and lasting for several minutes, rather than seconds. Now, this is when it's getting very serious…we need to get you up to the hospital and rush the operations…before…"

"Before what, Rudy? And you said that there are 3 Phases? What is it Rudy!? What is Phase 3!?" Steve looked at him desperately with a definite look of fear and shock on his face.

"Steve…let's not worry about that now…if we get you to my clinic now, then there won't be a Phase 3 to worry about…" Rudy tried to dodge the questions, but Steve wasn't buying it. He sat up, rigidly, and grabbed Rudy's maroon sweater firmly with both hands.

"RUDY!? WHAT IS PHASE 3!?"

"In Phase 3, it becomes very very deadly. The toxin will have polluted your bionics, completely. You will have a major attack, worse than any other black out. There will be an extreme flash of weakness, where you're legs, and arm will feel like jelly, unable to sustain any weight. Then comes a continuous flood of excruciating pain. I'm sure greater than any pain imaginable. You will collapse from the pain and weakness, unable to move, even budge, but once the initial attack is over, you will have completely lost the use of all of you bionics. They will all be limp, and dead…so to speak…the only thing that could convince you that they are still even there is the blinding pain that will ultimately continue. Even then, the toxin is not done torturing you. The beak between human parts and bionic is weakened, now, and it's like a dam, ready to bust. And once a certain level of toxin is released, the pressure will be too great, and the dam will give way, filling your human body with the disease.

"It will flood your blood stream, contaminating everything. Steadily, the pain will spread, weakening you, and seriously weakening all of your systems and vital organs….your immune system would be so low, that a cold could kill you. And after that toxin has spread through your entire body, everything begins to shut down. You would fall into a deep unconsciousness, and in your sleep, the disease will win. As all of your normal body processes will slow to a stop, your heart, now weak, will gently slow, and finally stop. The disease will kill you, Steve." Rudy hung his head and sank into a nearby chair.

"Well…" Steve slowly began, the shock fully setting in. "I guess we'll just have to postpone our vacation till after the operations, huh?" He gave a small, slow smile, but even the time bit of hope from his bionic friend brought immense joy to Rudy's tired form.

Rudy began to speak, but was interrupted by a knock at the door. He told Steve to wait for him. He opened the door to be greeted by a huge giant of a man. He was told that there was a long-distance phone call for him in the "guest-services" cabin, from D.C.

Rudy agreed to go with him and popped his head, quickly back into the cabin. "Steve!? There's a call for me from Washington in the check-in cabin, probably Oscar, but I'm going to check it out. I'll be back in a minute. DON'T GET UP! You need to save your strength for this fight! I'll be back in a minute, all right Steve?" Rudy called into the cabin, and after hearing a quick reply from Steve, he trudged out, into the snow.

After he was out of sight, the large man and several other big men in heavy coats crept up to the cabin. They unlocked the door with a key, easily pick-pocketed from Rudy, and silently filed into the agents' cabin.

_END OF CHAPTER 3_


	4. The Creator Must Save His Creation

**AN: Hey! I got a second update already today! Yay! Maybe more later today, definitely more this weekend... :) It's a long weekend, so I've got plenty of time! **

**Chapter 4: The Creator Must Save His Creation**

From his perch on the bed, Steve heard the door open, and multiple pairs of feet walking in. "Rudy!?" Steve called out as an uneasy panic consumed him. He received no response. "RUDY!?"

Steve gasped when 4 men entered his room. First, an immensely large man filled the doorway then stepped into the room. Then another, slightly smaller man with evil black eyes and dark, curly hair entered, finally followed by two familiar faces.

"Yamo!? Tucelli?!" Steve jerked upwards, suddenly panicked at the sight of his former foes. "I thought you were in jail!"

"Ah, Mr. Austin….that's no way to greet an old friend!" Alfredo Tucelli sneered at Steve with a laugh. "It's been a long time, Colonel…by the way, How's your arm?" The evil mobster laughed crazily at Steve's terrified eyes.

"I thought you were in jail, Tucelli…And where's your brother?" Steve's voice was dark and serious.

"Oh come now, Steve, a man in _my _position, with my brains and talent doesn't belong in such prisons…It's stupid, really, a child could escape from there…and as for old Julio? Oh, he'll be joining us shortly. He's busy getting things ready for us…I do hope that you and your dear friend, Dr. Wells serve as entertaining as you were last time.."

"Rudy!? What've you done to him!? Where is he!?" Steve tied to mask his fear, but his eyes gave a clear sign of his panic.

Tucelli's face flickered an evil smile. "Oh don't worry, Colonel! Dr. Wells is fine! All we've done is send him on a small wild goose chase…we haven't done anything to him…yet…you see, this time, instead of watching the creation running to save his master, the creator…we're going to see how fast the creator comes to save his creation! Than, we'll pick up where we left off last time…"

"Why you…" Steve tried to bolt from the bed, either to escape or maybe attempt to strangle the villain, but due to his still present weakness and back by the two large strangers.

"Yamo!" Alfredo beckoned the ready thug towards the struggling Steve, who was now pinned against the wall. Yamo grinned and flicked open a pocket knife gleefully eyeing Steve. Steve struggled and whimpered in pain and fear as Yamo tortured his spirit, while gently dragging the blade lightly around his chin and neck, finally slicing it sharply underneath the left side of Steve's chin. It wasn't in a vital spot, but Steve could already feel the blood slowly trickling down his neck, staining the collar of his turtleneck.

"Do forgive me, but I had to divulge Yamo in a little pleasure and besides…" Alfredo took the knife, laced inn blood, and set it on a white card. "The blood looks so much more convincing…don't you think?"

The four men quickly dragged Steve out of the cabin and into a waiting car.

A few minutes later…

Rudy grumbled to himself about the annoying cold walk for no purpose. Once he had gotten to the main cabin, they had said that there was no call for him.

"Steve?" Rudy called out. Something was wrong, he felt. It was too silent…true, Steve should be resting, but Rudy's intuition mad him panic, and this time for a good reason. He bolted to Steve's room, and gasped in the doorway when he saw the empty bed. He rushed to the bed, where he found something in the indent that Steve's head had made in the pillow.

Inside the crater lay a white card with typed writing, reading: "THE CREATOR MUST SAVE THE CREATION" and beneath, in hastily scribble handwriting was written: "DR. WELLS, THIS IS THE CREATION'S BLOOD. COME TO YOUR FIRST LAB BY NOON, OR YOU'LL NEVER SEE HIM AGAIN. SEE YOU SOON -A.T-"

Rudy cringed at the blood staining the knife and card that had splattered onto the pillow and his own thumb. His eyes fell back on the card..

"THE CREATOR MUST SAVE THE CREATION….A.T"

**_END OF CHAPTER 4_**

**AN: Well...there you have it folks, Chapter 4! I hope you enjoyed it! If you don't know, and haven't seen the episode of SMDM, "Dr. Wells is Missing"...Alfredo and Julio Tucelli are evil baddies who once kidnapped Rudy, while in a trip to Switzerland(i think..), and were prepared to force him to build a bionic man for them..that is, until Steve shows, up...Alfredo makes many comments about Steve, the creation, dutifully rushing to the rescue of his master... (hence the references to "creator" "creation" etc..) The Tucelli's decide to use Steve for their evil purposes, and start running him through tests, one of which ends in a severe damage to his bionic arm. Rudy and Steve make their escape and the gang was sent to prison... but apparently... ;) they got out! ;) **


	5. Rudy Makes a Call

**Chapter 5: Rudy Makes a Call**

_WASHINGTON D.C…_

Oscar stared blankly at the message in his hands. A wave of fear rushed over him when he heard the phone ring, just as he was reaching for it. He hesitated, then snatched up the receiver.

"Oscar Goldman…Rudy?"

"Yes, Oscar…I need to spe-" Rudy fidgeted nervously with cord to the phone.

Oscar cut him off. "Rudy! We've got trouble. I just received word that the Tucelli's and their gang escaped from prison. They'll be coming after you…and Steve…"

"Oscar! I know the Tucelli's are out! Oscar…I think they have Steve. I'm going out to meet them….I'll try to contact you but…Oscar you'd better come quick…"

"On no…Steve! I'll be down on the first plane I can get out of here…don't worry Rudy, We'll get Steve out!"

"Oscar, you haven't heard the worst of the situation yet…"

"There's more!? What's the matter Rudy? What's going on?"

"It's Steve...he's very sick, Oscar. It's a vicious disease that's causing a drastic infection to his entire body from chemicals leaking out of the bionics."

"DISEASE!? Leaking?!" Oscar gasped. "Rudy! You said that it was just a few small malfunctions! "Nothing serious", you said! How could you miss something like that!?"

"I-I wasn't sure…only after it was too late…no reason to worry you and Steve over nothing..."

"Rudy, what's wrong with Steve? How bad is it?"

"It's very serious, Oscar. You know of these blackouts he's been having? Well now every time they are getting progressively worse. Every episode leaves him weaker and in more pain. Soon, he'll have a massive attack; the strongest of any other combined. It will start with a massive wave of weakness, leaving him so drained that he will collapse. Then will come the pain. Excruciating pain. Unimaginable pain. Pain so great, it could kill. If Steve could take the pain, then he'd at least be knocked unconscious. When he woke…Oh…Oscar…it's simply terrible..."

"RUDY!? What's after the attack!?" Oscar pleaded with him.

"After the attack, the pain will stay and his body will literally start shutting down. Initially all of the bionics will be completely unresponsive; dead weight. He couldn't even be able to feel that the limbs were there, other than the pain… Slowly the other parts of him, human parts, will begin to shut down. His arm, even the organs and body process will he come labored and they to will shut down. Eventually, he would fall into a coma. He would be completely free of pain then, but unless he was transported to a hospital immediately, he would never wake. When in the state of unconsciousness, his remaining parts would shut down; his heart, brain. He would die silently, just minutes after falling into unconsciousness. Oscar you've got to get up here immediately, with help! We can't let Steve die like that, or at the hands of Tucelli! We've got to get him back!"

"Don't worry, Rudy." Oscar began. "We'll get Steve out of there and he's going to be alright. I'll be up there in a matter of hours. And Rudy! Don't do anything rash! Don't give in to what they ask you. They can't risk hurting Steve if they need to use him… I'll see you soon, Rudy…Bye..."

"All right, Oscar, but I'm not promising anything…"

After Oscar hung up the phone, he dropped his head into his hands and mumble sadly to himself, "Don't worry Pal…The cavalry is coming…hang on…"

_END OF CHAPTER 5_


	6. The Creator Comes

**AN: Hey guys! SO Sorry for not updating! I keep forgetting to update on this page! I've also been posting this story on the fan forum, "The Bionic Project"...you should probably just follow the story over there...I'm on to the 2nd part of the story over there..I keep forgetting to update over here! So sorry! I'll put up a couple of chapters! Thanks again for reading guys! And now... **

**Chapter 6: The Creator Comes**

Rudy quietly closed the door of the rented sedan and crept up the wooded hill, behind his old clinic. It was eerie being back at his first lab, as Rudy hadn't been back here since he had first made the breakthrough in bionics. After he had officially been placed on the OSI payroll to further develop and experiment with bionics, he had been given a new facility, with a new lab and a new hospital. The hospital was located only a few miles up the road. The lab and special classified bionic wing of the building were hidden in a heavily guarded area of the busy hospital.

It was odd, for Rudy to discover that the Tucellis had found out that this had been where it all began. It had been completely hushed that this had been his first lab, and he hadn't even been allowed to come back, after telling Oscar of his discovery. Rudy looked down from his hidden perch, on the hill, at the men in valley below. The Tucellis, Yamo, and several new faces stood, guarding Steve, who stood, with his hands restrained behind him. Steve glanced around and quickly spotted Rudy, hiding, with his bionic eye. Unfortunately, Alfredo caught his glance.

"Dr. Wells!? Dr. Wells, I know you're out there! I know Steve here saw you! Where is he Steve? Where's your master? Is he hiding in the tree? In those bushes perhaps?" Tucelli brought his face close to that of his captive.

"No one is MY master, Tucelli! NO ONE!" Steve spat towards the man who wanted to make him his newest minion.

"Tucelli glared and gave a quick nod to the 2 large men who stood on either side of Steve. Behind him, Yamo tightly held his arms together. The two men simultaneously jabbed their fists into Steve's stomach. Then, they took turns swinging into his face and chest, until he sunk to his knees, coughing and gasping for air.

_Why doesn't he break free!? Why doesn't he fight back!? _Rudy thought in a panic.

"Dr. Wells? You may be wondering why our bionic hero doesn't seem to be trying to escape… well; his life depends on not breaking the handcuffs that bind his wrists. You see, I've attached a vial of poison that will be immediately injected into his human hand, if by any means the handcuffs are forced open, or opened in the wrong way. And if I get angry, I may just have Yamo break the cuffs….On the topic of "fighting back"…Is our dear bionic wonder boy not feeling well, Dr. Wells? He didn't seem to fight back like we all know he can when Yamo cut hi with the knife…Oh don't worry…we didn't cut him to badly, just enough to draw a little blood on the chin. Oh come now Rudy, you've got to come out sometime…alright...if you insist to stay I'll just have to persuade you!" He quickly nodded to the large captors, and they both drove their booted feet into Steve's chest in a pair of powerful kicks. Steve flopped and groaned a bit, then fell forward again, on his knees and they repeated in a vicious cycle. Over and Over again. Their kicks stopped when Steve lay still, on his front, moaning and gasping for air.

Rudy gasped and rose, slightly, anxiously debating whether or not he should show himself or not. He uncertainly peered out, seeing his friend lying sputtering in the grass and snow.

Alfredo was growing very angry at Rudy for not showing himself, so he glared toward his brother, and Yamo. "Break the cuffs!" He spit out the words, sentencing Steve to his death, if Rudy didn't come. "Dr. Wells? I home you're happy. The cuffs are being broken, and in seconds poison will be spreading through Mr. Austin's veins.

THAT did it. Rudy leaped out of the bushes and bolted down the hill, shouting, "NO! Don't! Don't kill him!" Rudy yelled until he was halfway down the hill, and saw that Yamo and Julio had stepped away from Steve's bloody, battered frame.

It seemed as though the problem of Steve being more injured had passed…until he looked up, shocked, at Rudy and moaned loudly. "Rudy?! My arm! Eye….legs...they're doing it again! RUDY?!" Steve gasped as his bionic parts tried to fight of another wave of pain and weakness, and as hey were restrained, the parts began fighting for rest. He looked up, terrified, at Rudy who watched in shock as the bionic parts began to seize. (**AN: *Seize* as in having a seizure…some sources say it's a word…others do not…now…back to our show!) **His legs jerked around frantically, and his arm was vibrating wildly. Steve and Rudy hit the same realization simultaneously. Rudy again began to run down the hill. Steve looked up at the men, and begged, "Quick! Hold my arm own! I'll break the lock! Please!?" the men were terrified at Steve's jerky body and slowly baked away.

"NO! Grab his arm! He'll break the cu-" Rudy yelled as he came upon them. He dived towards Steve grasping for his arm….But it was too late.

Steve's arm yanked at the handcuffs, setting off the mechanism. Rudy watched in horror as the green poison quickly flowed into Steve's wrist. Steve quit seizing and fell back, exhausted in Rudy's arms. Steve's head jerked around, trying to fight off the beckoning blackness, but he couldn't fight it. He looked up at Rudy and his eyes rolled back. With a gasp, his head rolled back, dangling across Rudy's arm.

"Steve!? Steve!?" Rudy begged at his friend. But he got no response. Steve laid, in Rudy's arms, completely enveloped in a dark, deep sleep.

_END OF CHAPTER 6_


	7. The Last Attack

**Chapter 7: The Last Attack**

Rudy's eyes grew wide and fearful as he balanced Steve's body in his arms. He was startled when he had again found the back of Steve's head damp with warm blood. The previously inflicted wound had begun to bleed again, soaking through the soiled makeshift bandage. Rudy looked up angrily at Alfredo. The various cuts and bruises that littered Steve's frame were terrifying and blood stained his pale face from his mouth and nose.

Tucelli stood gaping at the sight still unable to process Steve's tremor filled attack and the accidental injection of the poison. "I-I didn't want to kill him…yet! I was just bluffing! I would have stopped them! I-I have an antidote!" Tucelli made the quick realization and sprung into action. "You men, take them to the shed out back, and Julio, come with me. I must find that antidote!"

The husky enforcers crowded over the two OSI men, and pulled them away from each other. Two of the men grabbed Steve; one taking his arms and other, his legs. Yamo roughly pulled Rudy to his feet. They walked to a small wooden shed, which was old and rotten. Rudy was roughly tossed inside, and Steve was hauled in, landing roughly in a mound of hay. One of the men tossed in a small canteen of water and they slammed the heavy door shut and locked it.

As the Tucelli brothers walked away, Julio looked at Alfredo with puzzlement, "Alfredo? I though you wanted him dead! I thought we were going to kill him! Why the rush for this "antidote"?"

Alfredo stopped and turned to his brother with a chuckle. "Oh, you silly naïve fool! It was all a bluff! There was no real "poison" in that flask! Just a small sedative! I must say, his reaction was odd….perhaps he IS sick… but nonetheless, it was all just to bring out Dr. Wells and to get them into that shed! And the "antidote" is just a little drug to counter the first one! Before you ask, "why? Why am I going to all this trouble"…It is the tests, my dear Julio! The tests! Last time, I'm afraid, we didn't get as many tests done as I'd have liked…maybe this time will be different." They laughed and continued on.

Later….

The second Rudy heard Steve begin to awaken; he was instantly at his side. Earlier, Rudy had lit a lantern that was hanging by a window, with Steve's lighter and had used the canteen of water and a sheet he had found to re-bandage Steve's head and clean his wounds from the beating he'd received. Rudy had never been more shocked than when he'd carefully pulled off Steve's coat, sweater, and unbuttoned his shirt and saw the ugly, purple, boot-shaped bruises on Steve's chest. From the way that he was breathing, Rudy could tell that Steve at least had a few cracked ribs. Eventually, one of the men had brought in "the antidote" and had injected it in Steve's human arm. Now, when Steve finally woke, Rudy was overjoyed.

"Steve! Steve? Wake up! You alright!?" Rudy questioned.

Steve blinked to focus. "R-rudy? Oo…." Steve winced, gently holding his head as he sat up.

"Glad you could come back, friend…" Wells tried to joke. "Steve…is everything alright? Can you move everything?"

"Yeah…just hurts…s'alright….where are we?" Steve scanned the dark room with his infrared vision and analyzed their surroundings.

"Oh…I don't know…some barn or old shed or something…It wasn't here the last time I was here…you know that old clinic up there on the hill was my first research building….I haven't been there since I discovered bionics, many years ago…"

The two men chatted for several hours, just making small talk, with long periods of silence in between. Finally they both dozed until about dawn when they were awoken by the crash of the lantern falling to the ground. The thin string holding it up had been purposely cut, and the lantern fell into the flammable hay.

Within seconds, a massive wall of fire had split Steve from Rudy. Steve, who was on the side of the door, kicked at it with all of his might and it easily clattered off of it's hinges. Steve nervously scanned the flames for his friend, but his glance was disrupted by a rapid flickering in the image. His vision doubled and blurred, and he could feel a heavy unsteadiness in his legs and arm. Steve desperately tried to shake off the coming attack, knowing it was too crucial a moment for some silly ache. He had to get Rudy.

Rudy was terrified when the fire burst out, separating him from the injured cyborgs, but he was overjoyed when he saw and heard Steve kicking the door down.

"Rudy!? Rudy!? Where are you! You alright?!" Steve hacked in the smoke.

"Yes, Steve! Over here!" Rudy called back.

Steve would have just tried to burst through, but the fire was too thick. Steve fumbled around and found a thick rope. He quickly tossed the rope around a low rafter and instructed Rudy to grab onto it. After the doctor was holding fast to the rope, he was pulled up and over the flames. Rudy hit the ground and took off running for the door, supposedly with Steve at his heels, but as he crossed into the fresh, cool air, he heard a crash behind him, and several pained shouts.

"RUDY!?" Steve slowed as the pain of his attack overwhelmed him and the weakness grew to an unbearable level. As he slowed, a beam from the ceiling crumbled under the flames. It fell, right on top of him. He braced himself under his arm, but because of his ongoing attack, he was easily knocked down with the smoldering timber pinning him in the flames. "RUDY! Help! Rudy!?" The scalding cinders sprayed over the right side of his face and chest. His body shook in tremors worse than those of the previous attacks.

Rudy's eyes went wide and his pale at the horrific sounds. He ran back into the entry way, up to the fallen timber that trapped his patient, squirming and shouting. With all of the effort he could summon, Rudy kicked at the beam, knocking it off of Steve. By now, Steve had grown still, except fro occasional gags and gasps for air, as all he could breathe was smoke. Rudy took hold of Steve's limp arms and dragged him out of the structure.

Outside, both men gagged and heaved for a while. Sometime in this period, Steve lost consciousness and was utterly still. Rudy tried to ponder the attacks before this one and how bad the ones after would be.

He needn't have worried about any more "attacks". For this was the last. What would soon come to pass would be brutal. These "vicious attacks" would only seem like the calmed before the storm.

_END OF CHAPTER 7_


	8. Phase 3

**AN: Hello friends... he he... i know it's been a while since my last update here on fanfiction... I'm sorry... ducks head, sheepishly i'm sorry... I've been done with these chapters for a couple of weeks! If I hadn't said this already, if you are interested in this story, GO TO THE BIONIC PROJECT! It's a fan board/forum for fans of the Bionic Shows...on there, I'm up to Chapter 2 in part 2 of the story! I keep forgetting to update my stories, together...I'm real sorry, again... On the Bionic Project, just go to the "Fanfiction" tab, find the list of stories, and just look for "Dr. Wells is Missing Again" in it's chapters, and parts! (you can read other stories too!) ANYWAY...I'll try to catch up on posting this weekend...I hope to get through typing the end of Part 2, which is on the Bionic Woman, and has 5 chapters. AND NOW...**

**Chapter 8: Phase 3**

Phase 3.

Somehow, some art of Rudy knew that Steve was going into phase three when he heard the weak cries, calling for him. Dragging the still agent into the first rays of dawn, Rudy winced, in spite of himself, at seeing the new collection of burns on Steve's face, to add to the cuts and bruises. Rudy numbly sat on the cold ground, staring at Steve, knowing there was nothing he could do.

Suddenly, from around the corner of the smoldering barn, Tucelli and his minions dashed out, to collect the agents. Tucelli stopped, aghast. "You idiots! You've killed him! Now we'll never get our cyborgs! It was only supposed to be a test!"

"A TEST!? Rudy rose, the anger flowing through him "YOU SET THAT FIRE?! IT WAS ANOTHER OF YOUR MAD TESTS!?"

"Hey boss? He's not dead…but he sure don't look good…and he's all feverish…" one of the men bent over Steve, slightly softening at the horrific sight of his broken body.

"You were right, Tucelli, Steve is sick. VERY sick! And if I don't get him to my hospital and operate immediately, he WILL die! I'm begging you, Tucelli! I'll do anything for you! I'll build you the cyborgs! I'll do ANYTHING! Id you'll just let me get Steve into the proper care!" Rudy couldn't believe what he was saying, but he spoke only the truth. He WOULD do anything for Steve, anything at all.

Tucelli pondered for a moment, and then smirked at Rudy with an evil grin. "Well, Dr. Wells. That is an interesting proposition…but there are a few issues with your plan...you see, I was going to kill Colonel Austin, anyway…and whether you know it or not, you WERE going to build me that cyborg! And…If I let him go, then I won't have a bargaining piece anymore, now would I? I will, however, let you take him inn your old clinic there…Do anything you'd like to him, in there, but be wary. My men are watching you with their guns at all times. And if you even sneeze wrong…he'll get a bullet in him! I promise you!" He made a quick gesture to his associates. "Take them into the clinic, there. Watch 'em close, boys."

Steve was picked up by two men and carried in between them, while Yamo led Rudy at gunpoint. It was eerie for Rudy to again walk the dusty halls of his first lab. He hadn't been back since he had approached Oscar Goldman with his breath through in Bionics and everything was exactly as he left it. Even a rotten cup of coffee had been sitting on a filling cabinet for all of these years. Webs and dust littered the halls, but there was one place, one room where Rudy knew everything would be perfect and spotless.

Rudy's first big project had been to build a lab/clinic room that was as germfree as possible. He had created it in the heart of this building. A room with white walls, many thick glass windows, and special venting systems that constantly purified the air. He knew that in order for Steve to not get worse, he needed to be treated in that room. Rudy quickly gestured the group to go to the room.

At the barricaded entrance, he pressed a rode in the keypad, hesitating at the last number. He had a special "emergency code" that would set off an alarm, and notify local authorities and the OSI, but it would also alert their captors. Yamo sensed his hesitation. "Look, doc. You make one false move and your bionic wonder boy here…well he certainly won't be doing anything for you and your government anytime soon."

Rudy looked at the ill astronaut, dangling between two beefy men. Rudy pressed the last number and pushed open the doors. As Rudy entered, he smiled in spite of himself, proud that he had succeeded. This room had been left untouched for several years, and there was not a speck of dust or a cobweb anywhere, to betray this lapse in human cleaning. He gestured to an operating type table/bed in the center of the room and the men laid Steve on it.

After instructing Rudy, carefully, to not try anything funny, but to tend to Steve's injuries, all but one of the men left. Rudy did this with much pleasure. He was concerned that Steve continued to slumber, but as he seemed relieved of the pain, Rudy allowed Steve to continue sleeping. Dr. Wells carefully removed Steve's sweater and then his shirt. He found a few large sheets in a small closet and tore one into thick strips. Cautiously, he wrapped the strips tightly around Steve's middle to hold his possibly broken ribs. Then, taking smaller pieces, he re-bandaged his head wound and tried to bandage the cut on his neck. He did his best to clean the burns and wounds on Steve's face, but could not properly treat him.

Rudy had expected that in starting Phase 3, Steve would have a fierce attack, and then wake up with is bionics deadened, but he was wrong. It was much more horrific. After a while of waiting, Steve finally stirred from the darkness. He slowly opened his eyes and shook his head, slowly rubbing his face with is left hand.

"Steve!" Rudy excitedly sprung to his side. "How are ya? Can you feel anything…move?"

Steve gave him a puzzled, ye content look. "Y-yeah…I feel, well actually pretty good! Kinda peaceful…best I've felt in a while…him…" The pleasant "floating" sensation didn't last long though.

Suddenly, as Rudy glanced at Steve, he saw a look of confusion, fear, and panic pass over him. "Steve! Steve!? What's the matter? Are you alright?"

"I—I don't—don't know…my legs...feel kinda tingly…Rudy! They-They won't…Rudy! I can't move my legs! I can't move 'em Rudy! Help! Rudy I can't feel them! I can't feel them! Rudy!? My legs! Aah…hurts…Rudy! Help! Gah…ow!" Steve began flailing around helplessly as the numbness, immobility, and immense pain flooded his body.

As Steve screamed, Rudy tried to calm him and hold him down, but could not get through to him. The guard who had been left to watch them, gaped in fear as Steve screamed. He ran to the door and called all of the others back.

Tucelli, his brother, Yamo, and the other guards ran back, just as the tingling sensation overcame Steve's arm. Just as he had with his legs, Steve called out every terrifying stage that his arm went through.

"Rudy!?" Steve gasped, still frantically squirming and trying to grasp his deadened limbs with is left arm. "They...hurt!? They've never hurt before! Rudy? Gah….it's…it feels like somebody just ripped them right off! Oh! My…my eye!" Steve whimpered and his bionic eye began fluttering at incredible speed.

Their captors stood motionless in shock, as they watched the terrors rage in Steve's body. Alfredo finally shook himself from his trance and ordered the guards, "Strap him down!" The guards moved quickly, pushing Rudy out of the way, and surrounding Steve.

They quickly pulled straps from underneath the table and buckled Steve firmly down, with one strap at his legs, another above his waist, and one more about at his shoulders. Through all of this, Steve panicked more and more as the slow, deadening paralysis spread through hi bionic limbs. He continued to groan and wail out, calling for help from Rudy.

"Rudy!? Rudy, where are you!? Help! Rudy!? I can't move!"

_END OF CHAPTER 8_


	9. An Urgent Plea

**Chapter 9: An Urgent Plea**

After a few minutes, Rudy got Steve to calm down and he talked to him, softly assuring him that everything would be alright and that he just had to let his body deal with the spreading, and not kill himself fighting it. Rudy produced a heavy blanket which he carefully covered most of Steve's frame with, with the exception of his left arm and head. Rudy cautiously eyed a small cabinet in which was enclosed a special phone, he could call Oscar with.

Tucelli ordered all of the men into the hall to regroup, and all of the men filed out, leaving the agents alone. Now was his chance. Rudy knew it was risky, but he had to try. He quickly sat down in front of the cabinet and opened the doors. He greedily seized the receiver and punched in the OSI code number for Oscar's special line. It would ring wherever he was, in his car phone, at the office, or be sent to a plane or general building.

After a minute of "holding", he was rewarded with a tired sounding mumble "Goldman, speaking…"

"Oscar!? It's Rudy!"

"Rudy!? Are you alright!? Where are you? What happened!? Is Steve alright? Is he with you!?" Oscar spouted questions faster than Rudy could think.

"Oscar, just listen. I don't have much time. The Tucellis have us up at my first lab, down the road from the big clinic. You remember the place? Were in the special "clean room", I showed you…"

"What about Steve!?" Oscar begged.

"He's not good Oscar….he had several attacks, and he's just fall into the last, deadly stage…Phase 3… his bionic parts are completely dead, with the exception of immense pain. And that poison's spreading fast…soon, he'll be completely numb and paralyzed and his organs will start shutting down…Oscar, we have only a few hours before it becomes too late…And I certainly didn't help matters…in order to "convince me" to stop resisting capture, they roughed him up quite a bit…"

"Well Rudy, we can be there with a full team to invade in a few minutes!" Oscar began.

"NO! If they see you coming, then they'll be sure to kill us first…no…you need something…er…someONE a little more…inconspicuous..."

"Ah! I'm sure we can bring her in, in a little over hmmmm….maybe 2 hours? Is that enough time?"

"Well…it's a cutting it close…Oscar…hurry…"

Suddenly, one of the guards, having heard chatter, burst into the room with his gun drawn. Eying Rudy's turned back; he silently raised his gun and readied his shot. Steve turned his head enough to see him and weekly flung out his left arm, as much as the bonds would allow, and cried a pitiful shout. "RUDY! LOOK OUT! BEHIND YOU!" Startled, both Rudy and the man whirled around. Seeing movement, the guard fired at it's source.

"STEVE!?" Rudy yelled as he heard the bullet make impact, and Steve grown out in additional agony. The guard turned back and sent another bullet into the heart of the phone, and in an electrical blast, severed the line between Rudy and their rescue.

_END OF CHAPTER 9_


	10. Reinforcements

**Chapter 10: Reinforcements**

Oscar hung his head as he trudged out of the airfield to their makeshift base. Since their call, the previous day, Oscar hadn't heard at all from Rudy or Steve. He was getting very concerned. They'd been out in the helicopter, scouring the mountains for a sight of them, but had found nothing.

"Call for you Mr. Goldman? They gave emergency clearance!" a young pilot leapt from the helicopter.

"Thanks! I'll take it on the plane, in the chopper." Oscar spirits and hopes raised considerably when he answered the phone, and was greeted by Rudy Wells.

"Oscar?! It's Rudy!"

"Rudy!? Are you alright!?"

"Well...Rudy, we can be there with a full army to invade in a matter of minutes!"

'No! If they see you coming, then they'll be sure to kill us first…no…you need something…er…someONE…a little more inconspicuous…"

Jaime! That's what he's hinting at! Oscar realized. Jaime, like Steve, could get in quickly, and inconspicuously. She could put the captors at a disadvantage, and then summon the team.

"Ah! I'm sure we can bring her in in a little over…maybe 2 hours? Is that enough time?"

"Well…it's cutting it close…and Oscar? Hurry…."

Oscar was starting to reply, when he heard a faint shout through the phone.

"RUDY!? LOOK OUT! BEHIND YOU!"

It was Steve! "Steve?!" Oscar shouted, though he knew that Steve wouldn't hear. Oscar gasped when he heard the shot and the sickening groan of pain.

If Oscar hadn't been sure that it was Steve who took the bullet, Rudy's terrified scream of, "STEVE!?" satisfied the doubts.

"RUDY!? Rudy what happened!?" Oscar began to frantically shout in the phone, but was cutoff by the sharp "CRACK!" of a second bullet. And the line went dead. "STEVE!? RUDY!?" Oscar wailed into the phone. He composed himself and set down the receiver, numbly. In a second, he retrieved it and urgently dialed a number he knew well. After 2 unsuccessful rings, Oscar feared she wasn't going to answer, but he was happily mistaken.

"Jaime Sommers! Hi!" Jaime cheerily answered the phone in her home.

"Jaime? It's Oscar…Rudy and Steve are in a lot of trouble…we need you right away…"

_TO BE CONTINUED ON THE BIONIC WOMAN…._

_END OF CHAPTER 1O_

_END OF PART 1_


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